Grilled shrimp with chimichurri is a bright, simple summer appetizer that’s always a crowd-pleaser. Large shrimp are skewered, quickly grilled, and finished with a fresh, herb-forward chimichurri sauce made from parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, and a touch of vinegar. This dish is fast to prepare, full of flavor, and great for entertaining.
Chimichurri is an Argentinian condiment known for its herbaceous, tangy flavor. It pairs beautifully with seafood, chicken, steak, and grilled vegetables. Texturally it’s similar to a loose pesto but is often quicker to make and highlights fresh herbs and vinegar for brightness.
In this version, half a jalapeño is blended into the chimichurri for a gentle, fresh heat, but it can easily be omitted or adjusted to taste. Making the sauce at home lets you tailor the flavor—add more vinegar for tang, more oil for richness, or extra garlic for intensity.
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri comes together in minutes. Use fresh ingredients for the best results: tightly packed parsley, a bit of cilantro for complexity, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and a few spices. Roughly chop the herbs if using a blender or food processor, then pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth but still has a pleasant texture. The final sauce should be loose enough to drizzle.
Useful tips:
– If you prefer a chunkier sauce, pulse briefly and finish by stirring the mixture with a spoon.
– Taste and adjust: more vinegar brightens the sauce, extra oil smooths and mellows it.
– Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days; store in an airtight container and allow to come to room temperature before serving for the freshest flavor.
Fresh Versus Frozen Shrimp
For the best texture and flavor, start with raw shrimp (either fresh or previously frozen then thawed). Raw shrimp cooks in just a few minutes and stays tender and juicy when cooked briefly on a hot grill. Pre-cooked shrimp can become rubbery or dry when reheated or grilled.
Look for shrimp that are peeled and deveined to save time. If the tails are left on for presentation, that’s fine; otherwise removing them makes the skewers easier to eat. Because shrimp cook so quickly, there’s no real time advantage to using pre-cooked shrimp when grilling.
You’ll Also Love
- Steak frites with chimichurri
- Steak and chimichurri crostini
- Chicken skewers with chimichurri
- Pesto or other herb-forward shrimp skewers
Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers Recipe
Author: Shawn Williams
Servings: 10 skewers
Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 4 mins | Total: 14 mins
Ingredients
- 1–1 1/2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails optional)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Wooden or metal skewers for grilling (soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes)
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Half a jalapeño, cored and seeds removed (optional, for heat)
Instructions
For the chimichurri sauce
- Combine the parsley, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper, cumin, salt, pepper, and jalapeño (if using) in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the sauce is mostly smooth but still slightly textured. Adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar to taste and set aside.
For the shrimp
- Soak wooden skewers fully submerged in cool water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Thread 4–5 shrimp onto each skewer.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high and clean the grates. Place skewers flat on the grill, close the lid, and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Shrimp are done when they turn opaque and firm (white with pink/orange accents) and are no longer translucent.
- Serve immediately with plenty of chimichurri spooned over the skewers and extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
Raw shrimp yields the best texture when grilling. Pre-cooked shrimp frequently become dry or rubbery if grilled again. Shrimp cook very quickly—watch closely so they don’t overcook.
Nutrition (per serving)
Serving: 2 skewers • Calories: 206 kcal • Carbohydrates: 4 g • Protein: 26.1 g • Fat: 10.3 g • Saturated Fat: 1.5 g • Cholesterol: 194 mg • Sodium: 295 mg • Fiber: 0.6 g • Sugar: 0.2 g
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guideline.
Additional Info
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Argentinian-inspired